Last season coach David Blatt led Maccabi Tel Aviv to a surprise EuroLeague title — one he admitted they won because the EuroLeague final four are single-elimination, he didn’t think they would have done it over Real Madrid in an NBA best-of-seven format. Doesn’t matter, the rules are the rules and Maccabi Tel Aviv got the win.
Now Maccabi Tel Aviv and a couple other big international teams are coming to the United States to take on NBA teams in the preseason.
We talk a lot about NBA teams heading to China and Brazil and London for preseason games, but this season Maccabi Tel Aviv, Maccabi Haifa and Flamengo of Brazil are coming to the states.
The one to watch is Maccabi Tel Aviv taking on their former coach Blatt and his Cleveland Cavaliers on Oct. 5 at Quicken Loans Arena. Maccabi will then travel to face the Brooklyn Nets on Oct. 7 at Barclays Center.
Maccabi Haifa, which beat out Tel Aviv for the Israeli league title last year, will face the Washington Wizards on Oct. 15 at Verizon Center, the Portland Trail Blazers on Oct. 17 at Moda Center, the Sacramento Kings on Oct. 18 at Sleep Train Arena, then finally Oct. 22 against the Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre.
Flamengo, the biggest team in future Olympics home Rio, will play the Phoenix Suns Oct. 8 at US Airways Center, then the Orlando Magic on Oct. 15 at Amway Center, then finally the Memphis Grizzlies on Oct. 17 at FedExForum.
It’s all part of growing the game. Frankly, anything to make preseason games more interesting I’m all for. This does that.